They say size isn’t everything.

But when your friends tell you how skinny you are

and mean it as a compliment,

when your mother tells you to eat french fries while you still can

and says she wishes she could be so skinny,

weight becomes a priority.

It is terrifying

knowing that people will notice when you grow,

excrutiating

to hear the doctor say “you’ve put on a little weight,”

embarrassing

to realize you don’t fit into your jeans anymore.

They tell you you’re crazy when you say you want to lose weight

but they’ve stopped commenting on how skinny you are,

and your mom suggests you eat less,

because the truth is:

size is everything.